Dec. 1 (Bloomberg) — Canada is seeking to restore ties with President Nicolás Maduro’s socialist government in Venezuela, aligning with other countries after efforts to install a rival leader in the South American country failed.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has long opposed Maduro’s regime, and sanctioned the president in 2017 even before many other Group of Seven countries. Canada enthusiastically supported a US-led effort to install former National Assembly President Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s leader, but the effort failed and Guaido was ousted by the opposition in January.

Western countries have reevaluated their attitudes towards Maduro’s regime. The United States has suspended sanctions on oil, gas and gold in a gesture of goodwill ahead of a November 30 deadline for Maduro to pave the way for all opposition candidates to run in next year’s elections and release political prisoners.

Currently, the Trudeau government is preparing to open lines of communication with Venezuela as part of a new “pragmatic” approach to diplomacy and an effort to forge ties with like-minded countries, according to an internal Canadian government memo. Bloomberg.

“Canada is working to re-establish diplomatic relations with Venezuela,” the government said in the document, which summarizes meetings between Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly and her Peruvian counterpart at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum summit in San Francisco. . The parties have even reached an agreement to send low-level diplomats to Venezuela and vice versa, but a final decision to restore relations will depend on the Venezuelan government fulfilling its promise to hold free elections.

The move would represent a radical shift in the Trudeau government’s approach to Venezuela, as the country refused to replace its ambassador in 2018 after Maduro was re-elected, in a vote Canada called “illegitimate and undemocratic.” But a cautious reopening of diplomatic channels will also safeguard the country’s relations with its allies.

Canada’s Foreign Affairs Department recommended Joly’s office reopen lines of communication with Venezuela through limited, low-level engagement, according to a person familiar with the plans, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a delicate diplomatic matter. His level of commitment would be lower than that of the United States, which is awaiting Maduro’s response after temporarily easing sanctions; and the UK, whose embassy remains open and continues to interact directly with the regime.

The person said that direct communication with Venezuela would allow Canada to better defend its interests in Latin America, including supporting Canadians in the country. The approach is still under consideration, the person added.

Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment on the matter. Peru recognized Maduro in 2021, four years after launching a diplomatic effort through the so-called Lima Group and aggressively defended by the Trudeau government in hopes of finding a peaceful solution to Venezuela’s democracy crisis. Canada hosted a Lima Group meeting in 2019 and Guaido visited Ottawa the following year.

A spokesperson for Trudeau’s Foreign Ministry said Canada remains “deeply concerned” about the ongoing political, social and economic crisis in Venezuela, but welcomed the Maduro government’s agreement with the opposition to prepare for fair elections.

“We are closely monitoring developments in Venezuela and hope that the Venezuelan authorities show clear signs that they are implementing the agreement in good faith,” Jean-Pierre Godbout, the Canadian government’s global affairs officer, said in a statement. “Canada will work with international partners and others to address the urgent needs of all Venezuelans inside and outside their country and to alleviate the humanitarian crisis.”